2022 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Performance

Previously, if you wanted a track-focused Mustang, you went for the Shelby GT350. This was equipped with the famous Voodoo V8, which had the same basic layout as the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 but was fitted with a flat-plane crankshaft. Ford had trimmed some of the fat and increased the engine's displacement to 5.2 liters. The result was a supercar-like V8 with a sharper throttle response that spun all the way to 8,250 rpm. Unfortunately, the Voodoo V8 is not used in the 2022 Ford Mach 1. However, some of its parts have been carried over. The Mach 1 uses the same high-flow intake manifold, a larger radiator, oil cooler, and oil filter, while receiving the same engine map as the Bullitt. That makes the Mach 1 slightly more potent than the standard GT. Its 5.0-liter V8 produces 470 hp (20 hp more than the GT, but 10 hp less than last year) and the same 410 lb-ft as the standard engine (also 10 units less than last year). Ford doesn't make any claim as to how quickly the Mach 1 will run from 0-60 mph because that isn't the point, but it'll likely mirror the sub-4.5-second effort of the Bullitt. The 10-hp power reduction should not make too much of a difference to last year's claimed top speed of 166 mph with the manual gearbox and with the Handling Package equipped, it should still get close to the 168 mph claim.

So, if Ford doesn't care about acceleration here, then what's the point of the Mach 1? Handling. It's lighter, sharper, and better in every department than the standard GT, inheriting a large amount of its engineering from the Shelby GT350's chassis. This is the Mustang for the entry-level motorsport enthusiast, which is why, like every other non-electric Mustang, it's strictly rear-wheel drive.

The engine in the Mach 1 is only a little bit more special than the standard GT, although its 5.0-liter V8 is still designated as the Coyote. This particular unit is the same one used in the Bullitt and it packs 470 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to a dual active valve performance exhaust, it makes an almighty, glorious racket.

Instead of increasing the power too much, Ford focused on cooling. The Mach 1 is marketed as a track tool, and it has all the necessary components to cope with high-performance driving. It has a larger radiator, an open-air induction system, an intake manifold borrowed from the GT350, and coolers for the engine oil, transmission, and differential.

Ford also removes the GT's Getrag manual gearbox and replaces it with the more hardcore Tremec six-speed manual used in the GT350, which bodes well for its reliability when used on track. A ten-speed automatic is also available, but you might be more of a standard GT customer if that sounds alluring. The automatic transmission does remove one extra thing to think about on the track, however, and for those who plan to daily the Mach 1 and only casually visit the track, it could be a consideration.

As a nod to the discontinued Bullitt, the Mach 1 gets the same cue-ball shifter on the inside. First gear is particularly aggressive, allowing for smoky launches. The overall feel is smooth, and the travel between the gears is extremely short. It's a profoundly satisfying feeling, rowing through the gears. We'll take the pleasure of self-expression via a manual over the faster lap times of an automatic any day of the week.

The Mach 1's manual gearbox is also equipped with controversial rev-matching technology. Some gearheads see systems like these as sacrilege, but not everyone can heel and toe, and that's okay. A track car's main aim is to make its driver feel like a hero, and we applaud any system that helps the driver achieve that goal, whether it be adaptive traction control, launch control, or rev-matching. Ford deserves credit for giving drivers the option to switch this system off, letting you learn how to do it properly yourself.

We have good news: the 2022 Mach 1 is more efficient than the older Shelby GT350. It's not by much, but you rejoice in small victories when it comes to large V8 engines. According to the EPA, the ten-speed automatic is the most frugal with figures of 15/23/18 mpg city/highway/combined, dropping down to 14/22/17 mpg with the standard 6-speed manual. The EPA's gas mileage figures for the GT350 were 12/18/14 mpg, but in the Mach 1, you don't get the Voodoo engine.

The Mach 1 is equipped with a 16-gallon tank, good for an estimated 288 miles in automatic guise while the manual can only manage 272 miles between refills. Both cars will drop down to single-digit consumption figures on the track, so you might want to invest in a decent jerrycan.